Lobar distribution in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis predicts bacteriologic pathogen treatment

Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBr) is a major cause of morbidity due to frequent infectious exacerbations. We analyzed the influence of patient age and bronchiectasis location on the bacterial profile of patients with NCFBr. This retrospective cohort study included 339 subjects diagnosed with an infectious exacerbation of NCFBr during the 9-year period between January 2006 and December 2014. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures and high-resolution computed tomography scans (HRCT) were utilized to characterize the location of the bronchiectasis and bacteriologic pathogenic profile. In univariate logistic regression, the frequency of Haemophilus influenzae was higher in patients aged ≤64 years (OR = 0.969, p < 0.0001, 95 % CI 0.954-0.983), whereas the frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR = 1.027, p = 0.008, 95 % CI 1.007-1.048) and Enterobacteriaceae (OR = 1.039, p = 0.01, 95 % CI 1.009-1.069) were significantly higher in patients aged >64 years. The lobar distribution of bronchiectasis in the subjects was 25.9 % in the right middle lobe (RML), 20.7 % in the right lower lobe (RLL), 20.4 % in the left lower lobe (LLL), 13.8 % in the lingula, 13 % in the right upper lobe (RUL), and 6.2 % in the left upper lobe (LUL). In the lower lobes, H. influenzae was the dominant species isolated, whereas in the RUL it was P. aeruginosa and in the LUL it was non- tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). H. influenzae was more prevalent in younger patients, whereas P. aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae and NTM predominated in older patients. Different pathogens were associated with different lobar distributions. The RML, RLL and LLL showed a greater tendency to develop bronchiectasis than other lobes.

Preparation of water samples for proficiency testing on radionuclides

The Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCT) procedure for preparation of water samples for proficiency testing on determination of (241)Am, (137)Cs, (239)Pu, (226)Ra and (90)Sr in water is presented. Natural waters were applied as the raw materials and spiked with the aforementioned radionuclides. The procedure of spiking water allows to prevent losses of the radionuclides and to assign property values from formulation. The main advantages of this procedure are (i) similarity of the test materials to the water samples routinely analysed by radioanalytical laboratories, and (ii) traceable assigned values with low uncertainties.

The influence of selected metals on the electronic system of biologically important ligands

The influence of (i) halogens, (ii) different alkaline cations, Li(I), Na(I), K(I), Rb(I) and Cs(I), and (iii) lanthanide cations, Pr(III), Nd(III), Dy(III) and Er(III) on the electronic structure of the aromatic ring as well as of the carboxylic anion of the substituted benzoic acids was investigated. Systematic change (decrease or increase) in the wavenumbers of selected bands along the F-->Cl-->Br-->I series was observed. This change correlates in linear fashion with a decrease in the ionic potential of the halogens. A shift of the selected bands along with the alkaline and the lanthanide metal series was also observed and correlated with the ionic potential of the metal. It was noticed that the increase in the ionic potential of halogen atoms causes a remarkable increase in the difference (Deltanu) between the wavenumbers of nuasym(COO-) and nusym(COO-). Among the halogens the ionic potential is the lowest for iodine and this substituent brings about maximal proximity of the asymmetric and symmetric bands of the carboxylic anion. The change of cation in the molecule causes a characteristic change in the difference (Deltanu) between the wavenumbers of nuasym(COO-) and nusym(COO-) as well. Along with the lanthanide series under study (Pr-->Nd-->Dy-->Er) this difference decreases, while between alkaline cations lithium broadens these bands to the highest degree. The influence of the alkaline and the lanthanide cations on the vibrational structure of the whole molecule was analysed and compared.